<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the balance sheet, statement of income and statement of cash flows contained in Form 10-Q of Commonwealth Energy System for the six months ended September 30, 1995 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000071304 <NAME> COMMONWEALTH ENERGY SYSTEM <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1995 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1995 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,015,634 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 13,722 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 135,929 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 153,755 <OTHER-ASSETS> 15,356 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,334,396 <COMMON> 42,836 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 109,632 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 227,404 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 379,872 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 13,840 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 396,551 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 22,675 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 40,973 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 820 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 13,737 <LEASES-CURRENT> 1,619 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 464,309 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,334,396 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 680,244 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 12,772 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 601,836 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 614,608 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 65,636 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 1,960 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 67,596 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 33,117 <NET-INCOME> 34,479 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 843 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 33,636 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 23,958 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 29,098 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 105,230 <EPS-PRIMARY> 3.17 <EPS-DILUTED> 0